Can the world afford to ignore biotechnology solutions that address food insecurity?

• Published in: Plant molecular biology Vol. 83; no. 1-2; pp. 5 - 19
• Main Authors: Berman, Judit, Zhu, Changfu, Pérez-Massot, Eduard, Arjó, Gemma, Zorrilla-López, Uxue, Masip, Gemma, Banakar, Raviraj, Sanahuja, Georgina, Farré, Gemma, Miralpeix, Bruna, Bai, Chao, Vamvaka, Evangelia, Sabalza, Maite, Twyman, Richard M., Bassié, Ludovic, Capell, Teresa, Christou, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-09-2013; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural biotechnology; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Crops; Crops, Agricultural - economics; Crops, Agricultural - genetics; Deficiency Diseases - economics; Delivery of Health Care - economics; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Developing Countries; Dietary Supplements - economics; Economic impact; Economics; Food security; Food supply; Food Supply - economics; Food, Genetically Modified - economics; Genetic Engineering - methods; Genetically altered foods; Hunger; LDCs; Life Sciences; Malnutrition; Oryza - economics; Oryza - genetics; Plant biology; Plant Pathology; Plant Sciences; Poverty; Poverty - prevention & control; Subsistence agriculture; Zea mays - economics; Zea mays - genetics; Food insecurity; Economic impact; Nutritionally enriched crops; Genetically engineered crops
• ISSN: 0167-4412; 1573-5028
• DOI: 10.1007/s11103-013-0027-2

Genetically engineered (GE) crops can be used as part of a combined strategy to address food insecurity, which is defined as a lack of sustainable access to safe and nutritious food. In this article, we discuss the causes and consequences of food insecurity in the developing world, and the indirect economic impact on industrialized countries. We dissect the healthcare costs and lost productivity caused by food insecurity, and evaluate the relative merits of different intervention programs including supplementation, fortification and the deployment of GE crops with higher yields and enhanced nutritional properties. We provide clear evidence for the numerous potential benefits of GE crops, particularly for small-scale and subsistence farmers. GE crops with enhanced yields and nutritional properties constitute a vital component of any comprehensive strategy to tackle poverty, hunger and malnutrition in developing countries and thus reduce the global negative economic effects of food insecurity.